Berry hires first coach

Tony Kunczewski was around to
help build LaGrange's football program from scratch and now will do
so for himself.
Berry athletics photo

Tony Kunczewski, who helped LaGrange build its football program
from scratch and reach the NCAA Division III playoffs in just its
third season, has been named the first head football coach in Berry
College history, Berry’s director of athletics, Todd Brooks,
announced Monday.

“I’m very excited about Tony Kunczewski joining
Berry’s department of athletics as the first football coach
in our program’s history,” Brooks said. “It was
imperative to our search committee that we find a coach and a
person who is the right fit for Berry College, and I think coach
Kunczewski is just that. I am confident that he will do an
excellent job in starting the football program at Berry College and
leading it into the future.”

Kunczewski (kun-CHESS-key) said Berry’s academic culture and
history of athletic success made this an attractive position.

“Berry College is a tremendous college with a long-standing
tradition of excellence,” Kunczewski said. “Once
I stepped on campus, it surely did not disappoint. Berry is one of
the most beautiful and impressive campuses in the world.
It’s truly a unique place that combines excellent academics
with a strong history of success in athletics.

“The people from the administration on down were so
impressive in their desire to promote well-rounded student-athletes
in their athletics programs,” Kunczewski said. “It was
easy to detect that there is something special about the Berry
culture. What a great opportunity, and one that I truly feel
blessed and humbled to have. Everything is in place to
attract top student-athletes.

“We are going to make the Berry College and the Rome and
Floyd County communities proud of their football program both on
and off the field. I can’t wait to get
started.”

Berry president Stephen R. Briggs said Kunczewski’s
enthusiasm for building a winning program while teaching beyond the
game of football make him an ideal fit for Berry.

"Coach Kunczewski impressed us with his passion for the
distinctive mission and values of Berry,” Briggs said.
“He understands how to build a football program that both
wins on the field and contributes to the greater good of the
campus. He coaches for life as well as for Saturday afternoon."

Kunczewski has been the defensive coordinator and head strength
and conditioning coach at LaGrange since July 2005, helping develop
all aspects of the start-up program from its inception. The
program began intercollegiate competition in 2006, and in 2008
finished with a 9-2 overall record, recorded the largest
single-season improvement in NCAA Division III football
history.

That season, Kunczewski’s defense ranked 18th nationally in
total defense, fifth in pass defense, 15th in sacks and sixth in
tackles for loss, leading the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference in total defense, pass defense and sacks.

Last season, LaGrange was ranked 44th nationally in total
defense.

In six seasons with the Panthers, Kunczewski has coached nine
All-Conference defensive selections, including the league’s
Defensive Player of the Year, and had four players selected to play
in the Tazon de Estrellas All-Star game in Mexico.

Away from the field, Kunczewski supervised the efforts of
LaGrange’s players to be involved in the Communities in
Schools program, sending student-athletes into local elementary
schools to help students with reading skills.

“I am so excited for Tony and his family,” LaGrange
coach Todd Mooney said. “When we started our football program
here at LaGrange, I hired Tony with the expectation and belief that
he would do an excellent job for us and position himself to achieve
his goal of becoming a head coach. He exceeded my
expectations in every way over the past seven years.

“Tony is an outstanding football coach, recruiter, and role
model. While disappointed to lose him, I am extremely
grateful for his efforts here and proud that he has achieved his
goal. Tony will do an excellent job for Berry
College.”

Prior to joining LaGrange, Kunczewski served as an assistant coach
at Bowdoin and Allegheny. He was at Bowdoin during the
2004-05 academic year, coaching both safeties and corners in a
multiple-scheme defense. Kunczewski served at Allegheny from
2001-04, coaching outside linebackers his first season and inside
linebackers the next two years. He was also the co-special teams
coordinator and the strength and conditioning coach at Bowdoin,
while heading up recruiting in the talent-rich areas of Western
Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Michigan.

Kunczewski began his collegiate coaching career as the outside
linebacker coach at Allegheny during the 2001-02 academic year.
That season, Allegheny’s defense ranked 10th nationally
against the run.

As a student-athlete, Kunczewski was a two-time first team
All-Conference player at Grove City. A four-year letter winner,
Kunczewski earned All-Presidents Athletic Conference honors as a
strong safety as a junior in 1998, and as an outside linebacker the
following year, when he led the team with 101 tackles. He earned
honorable mention All-PAC honors as a cornerback in 1997.

Grove City won a pair of PAC championships during
Kunczewski’s playing career.

The Harrison City, Pa., native earned a bachelor’s degree in
business management from Grove City in 2000, and a master’s
degree in exercise science and health promotion from California
(Pa.) in 2004.